Career Moves: Skills for the Journey is a classroom resource designed to connect 21st century skills – such as creativity, critical thinking, entrepreneurial spirit, and imagination – to the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and math).

Specifically tailored towards students in Ontario’s Grade 10 careers course, Career Moves is the result of extensive collaboration between Perimeter’s Outreach department, experienced guidance counsellors, and classroom teachers.

Following a tour of the BrainSTEM exhibit area, the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for FedDev Ontario, officially launched the new resource.

“We know that future prosperity for southern Ontario depends on an economy that is responsive to market needs and is able to promote and implement innovative practices. We want to ensure kids are choosing the STEM fields when they go on to post-secondary education, and eventually their careers,” Minister Goodyear said to a full house at Perimeter Institute’s Mike Lazaridis Theatre of Ideas. “I know Career Moves will help achieve this. I know it will be another great example of the Perimeter Institute’s outstanding work in showing youth what can be achieved through science and innovation.”

The Minister’s announcement, as well as observations from Kitchener-Waterloo Member of Parliament Peter Braid, preceded the first of three public lectures as part of Perimeter’s BrainSTEM: Your Future is Now Festival. The weeklong celebration of science and innovation, running through October 6, shares the same goal as the Career Moves resource: to ignite students’ passion for the cutting-edge subjects that can help them realize their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society as a whole.

“Our goal is to give students the best tools possible to fuel curiosity, exploration, and innovation,” said Greg Dick, Perimeter’s Director of Educational Outreach. “Students who are passionate about STEM subjects will now be ready to face the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. Our resources are designed to inspire students to build a smarter, more prosperous future for the world.”

Monday’s special announcement of the new in-class resource from Perimeter Institute was one of the many events, lectures, exhibits, and facility tours designed to enthrall and inspire visitors at the festival. For more information, including a full schedule and free tickets, visit the BrainSTEM Festival webpage.

ABOUT THE FEDERAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY FOR SOUTHERN ONTARIO (FEDDEV ONTARIO)

Created in 2009, FedDev Ontario supports the southern Ontario economy by building on the region’s strengths and creating opportunities for jobs and economic growth. In Budget 2013, the Government of Canada demonstrated its continued commitment to workers, families, and communities in southern Ontario with the renewal of FedDev Ontario. Economic Action Plan 2013 provides $920 million over five years for the Agency, starting on April 1, 2014. As part of the renewal, FedDev Ontario will be allocating $200 million over five years for a new Advanced Manufacturing Fund in Ontario. To learn more, please visit www.FedDevOntario.gc.ca or call 1-866-593-5505.

About Perimeter Institute

Perimeter Institute is the world’s largest research hub devoted to theoretical physics. The independent Institute was founded in 1999 to foster breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of our universe, from the smallest particles to the entire cosmos. Research at Perimeter is motivated by the understanding that fundamental science advances human knowledge and catalyzes innovation, and that today’s theoretical physics is tomorrow’s technology. Located in the Region of Waterloo, the not-for-profit Institute is a unique public-private endeavour, including the Governments of Ontario and Canada, that enables cutting-edge research, trains the next generation of scientific pioneers, and shares the power of physics through award-winning educational outreach and public engagement.